seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
I found the following in the commentary.For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil: None of us want to suffer. But if we must, may it be for doing good and not for doing evil. Sometimes Christians are obnoxious and offensive and are made to suffer for it. They may wish it were persecution for the sake of the gospel, but really it is simply suffering for doing evil.
Then it goes on to much deeper thoughts about Noah and Baptism. I would suggest you read the commentary... because I think Peter missed the Ark, so to speak. In the days when Peter wrote these letters to the Christians.... They were being hunted down like criminals, imprisoned and hung on a cross... if they outlasted the lashing. You see the way Israel is going after Hamas... as example of what it must have been like. They couldn't tell the terrorist from the others.
I think it would have been easier to live like a heathen than to be a Christian, showing love to one another. Being kind might make a Christian a target. Preaching "the end is near" would definitely get you jailed.
I think, back in the days when Peter wrote these letters, Christians had to be wary in public. They didn't take a bull to the Temple for slaughter anymore. That would mark them as Christian. The Jews who were still throwing a bull on the altar were labeling these good souls as Terrorists. The priests in the Temple were sure that the Christians were going to make God very, very angry. I'm sure the priests told the Christians "You wouldn't like God when He is angry".
Peter is, in my opinion, telling the Christians to just be nice to everyone you meet. Sure, they might run into someone who remembers that Jesus' gang sliced off the ear of their buddy, and be arrested as a Terrorist anyway, but it will be for being nice... not shooting a baby or slicing a body part.
If you are kind and love others as you wish they would love you.... They probably won't beat you to death or hang you on a cross. Putting Mother Teresa on a cross would give anyone a black eye... right?
Yeah.... they hung Jesus on the Cross... but He upset the Money Changers and Venders. He made a mess in their Temple. He was definitely, according to them, a Terrorist. Then to top it off... one of His gang assaulted the Roman Soldier. That's why they decided to take Him to the Cross.
The point Peter is making, however, is right on the money. Peter says we should be kind, love one another. It's how we show the world that Christians are not trying to rule the world. We don't want to hurt anyone. We aren't here to beat our religion into everyone in the world. We are here because God made us and put us here. When He's ready, He'll move us to Heaven.
So... Peter says if we get locked up because of our Christian Activities.... God has our back. We could still get hauled out of the soup kitchen for being a good witness, but God will pat us on the back for it when we get there. Someone might see us helping someone up... and accuse us of knocking them down... but God has our back. He'll pat us on the back for it when we get there.
This is about....
Staying Safe.
